


I'll Always Have Your Back

by PassionateFangirl



Category: Ratchet & Clank
Genre: Back Wounds, Bonding, Making Sacrifices For Those You Love, No Beta read we die like men, Purring, Ratchet is a Cat, cat hugs, drunk ratchet, well technically he's suffering from blood-loss but whatever same thing, you can take this as Clatchet if you'd like
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 19:47:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29141007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PassionateFangirl/pseuds/PassionateFangirl
Summary: Ratchet's backstory. No, no, I mean his LITERAL back story. Clank isn't sure he can handle being the cause of such a tale.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	I'll Always Have Your Back

Ratchet pulled his undershirt up and over his head, throwing it to the side with his harness. He peered as far as his neck would go, reaching a hand behind him to touch the sensitive area around the wound. He made a small wince, pulling his fingers back. "Shhit." The word droned on much longer than it needed to.

Clank was hesitant to rebuke Ratchet's earlier actions. He should have left Clank on his back, where the hit wouldn't be nearly as lethal to his raritanium hull. But seeing him now, the little droid opted not to say anything. He simply stepped closer, hands ghosting over the wound. Clank wasn't sure what to do next- and didn't have much time left to decide as Ratchet moved to the side and scooped up a ball of nanotech. "Clank, wouldja crack thisss baby open? Feeling _woo_ zy."

Right. Nanotech! Of course, why did it take him so long to process that? Perhaps he was simply in shock over the possibility of Ratchet bleeding out, because that cut was dug _very_ deep. The fact they had managed to get back to Aphelion without passing out was a miracle. He took the orb and with two hands tore it open, letting the nanites flutter over the slice. Ratchet hissed, feeling them go rather deep into his skin to fix an artery or two, before relaxing. Within moments, the cut was nothing more than a faint, bloody scar.

"Aphelion, take us...take us..." Ratchet was unable to finish the sentence, waving his hand about in a "whatever" sense. "Eh."

Clank sighed and finished for him. "Take us to Firebird Space Station-07, please."

"Of course." She replied, her tone a much less giddy than normal. The ship took off, and Clank reached into the seat compartment to find a basic first-aid kit. Pulling out the antiseptic wipes, he began cleaning the dirtied fur.

"Th-thanks, pal." Ratchet said, dazed. "Dunnowhad I'd do withoutcha."

"It is..." Clank drifted off, before finishing his sentence. "It is the least I can do." After the blood and dust had been brushed away, he saw Ratchet's unfiltered body before him. Of course Clank had seen Ratchet bareback in the past, however; he had never taken record of the absolute mess that was the Lombax's vertebral section.

When Clank was locked into the harness, he felt comfortable and right at home. Almost like there was a little seat for him nestled in Ratchet's fur. Now, he could see there literally _was_ a seat for him there. An indented shape similar to his torso rested delicately among the fuzzy patterns. He brushed a hand over it, noticing the fur was lighter and much thinner on the place he'd sit. Another quizzical brush, and Clank solemnly came to the conclusion that it wasn't simply matted down; it was actively _growing_ in a way that would accommodate Clank's presence.

There was also a faint scarring at the edges. He traced a finger down, and Ratchet flinched.

"Hey buddy, watcha doin over there?"

"You never told me your back was injured by my presence, Ratchet."

"...Oh, that?" Ratchet shrugged, making his dorsal muscles move and showing off a few more scars identical to Clank's arm bolts. "It just kinda happened...over time. Wasn't painful or anythin'."

Clank found more indents in the fur, these ones caused by the harness he always wore to carry Clank. "Still...I am not satisfied with the fact that I am the reason for this. It does not seem healthy."

"No pain no gain." Ratchet's ear twitched, then he moved around to face Clank. "Nope. Wrong choice of words. Didn't actually hurt."

"But there are scars..." Clank failed to finish his sentence. It must have been during times where his own body dug painfully into Ratchet's flesh, only for nanotech to fix it so quickly neither of them realized. But he still hurt Ratchet, he was the reason those were there. Almost 9 years (give or take) with his friend and he never figured this out?!

"Don't act like it's just me. You got a few dents cuzza me." Ratchet poked Clank's side, where a nicely buffed dent stood out. He remembered how he had gotten that one; falling to the ground of Veldin and catching Ratchet, to make sure he absorbed all impact of the fall. After their first adventure together. "So we're even, Steven."

"My name is not Steven."

"I've lost a looootta blood, cut me some slack." Ratchet whistled quietly, floating his hand into the air like a tiny airplane. "I don' mind getting hurt because a' ya. You're my pal."

"You should not be thinking these things Ratchet." Clank failed to see his own hypocrisy in that statement, as he had done exactly the same thing billions of times.

"Pshhht. I don't care. I'll go through Vox's gladiator competition again for you." Ratchet smiled, leaning down to face Clank eye-to-eye. "You mean. A lot, to me." And with that, he rubbed his cheek against Clank, a low rumble emanating from his throat. Clank was...uh, well he was...standing still, I suppose. So far, Ratchet had only ever done that in his sleep. Therefore the defect was left dumbfounded, unsure of what to say of the gesture, until Aphelion interrupted the two.

"We have arrived. I suggest you both try to look a little more professional while you retrieve supplies."

"Yay! Field trip!" Ratchet swung his arms into the air, hitting the top of Aphelion's cockpit. "Ugh, I need to stretch my _legs_. Come on Clank! Like ol' times!" He reached for his harness, but Clank slapped his wrist.

"No. You will stay here until your blood count has returned to normal levels. Besides, you could use a well-deserved break." Clank said. "And...thank you for your words before. If I am to be honest, I would do just the same for you as well."

Ratchet grinned, his tail swishing about as Clank opened the hull and set out to replenish their adventurous stock. Upon returning to the ship, he found a dead asleep Ratchet. Packing the items away in Aphelion's storage container, he came to the conclusion that the cheek rub was a sign of affection, and quietly preformed the same thing to his friend as he settled back into his seat. He failed to mimic the "purr", but Ratchet's little smile confirmed that he had done a good job.

It was nice to learn about your friends.

**Author's Note:**

> I REALLY wanna write more Drunk Ratchet (I know he wasn't actually drunk in this one but you see I don't really care about that)  
> I also drew a picture of Ratchet's scarred back, I'll post it when I can


End file.
